Detection and mitigation of particle contaminants in MEMS devices

ABSTRACT

Detecting and/or mitigating the presence of particle contaminants in a MEMS device involves including MEMS structures that in normal operation are robust against the presence of particles but which can be made sensitive to that presence during a test mode prior to use, e.g., by switching the impedance of sensitive structures between an exceptionally sensitive condition during test and a normal sensitivity during operation; surrounding sensitive nodes with guard elements that are at the same potential as those nodes during operation, thereby offering protection against bridging particles, but are at a very different potential during test and reveal the particles by their resulting leakage currents; extending the sensitive nodes to interdigitate with or otherwise extend adjacent to the guard structures, which neither contribute to nor detract from the device operation but cover otherwise open areas with detection means during test; and/or converting benign areas in which particles might become trapped undetectably by electric fields during test to field-free regions by extending otherwise non-functional conductive layers so that the particles can then be moved into detection locations by providing some mechanical disturbance.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/253,326 filed Oct. 20, 2009 and also claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/347,863 filed May25, 2010, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to MEMS device, and more particularly todetection and mitigation of particle contaminants in MEMS devices.

BACKGROUND ART

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices are have become establishedas useful commercial items. One problem that can arise in MEMS devicesis that the sizes of micromachined parts are generally comparable withthe sizes of airborne dust particles and so the operation ofmicromachines can be perturbed by dust. In particular, the operation ofMEMS devices is susceptible to leakage currents conducted by particlesas well as to mechanical interference. Generally speaking, the higherthe electrical impedance of such systems, the higher is theirvulnerability. This is particularly true for systems that areelectrostatically driven and capacitively sensed, such as the majorityof MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers in mass production today.

In order to maintain high quality and reliability, the semiconductorprocesses used for micromachining are conducted in scrupulously cleanconditions. Also, it is desirable to design the MEMS device in such away that it is as immune as possible to such particles. In reality,perfect immunity, like perfect cleanliness, is impossible to achieve andmust be supplemented. The additional measures include protection such ascapping, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,323,550,7,416,984, and 7,458,263, each of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety, and optical inspection or electrical testmethods which detect particles so that MEMS parts containing them can beidentified.

The concepts of immunity to particles and detectability by electricaltest are generally at odds with one another. Generally speaking, themore immune a structure is to perturbation, the less easy it is toperceive the presence of a particle, while sensitive structures whichdisclose particles easily are generally not immune.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided amethod for detecting particle contaminants in a MEMS device having adevice structure and a sense electrode adjacent to the device structure.The method involves, during a test mode, setting impedance of the senseelectrode to a predetermined test mode impedance higher than apredetermined operational mode impedance for the sense electrode,placing a test signal on the device structure, monitoring the senseelectrode for leakage current from the device structure, and, during anoperational mode, setting impedance of the sense electrode to thepredetermined operational mode impedance.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided aMEMS device comprising a device structure; a sense electrode adjacent tothe device structure; and a particle detecting controller coupled to thedevice structure and the sense electrode. The controller includes a testmode in which the controller sets impedance of the sense electrode to apredetermined test mode impedance higher than a predeterminedoperational mode impedance for the sense electrode, places a test signalon the device structure, and monitors the sense electrode for leakagecurrent from the device structure. The controller also includes anoperational mode in which the controller sets impedance of the senseelectrode to the predetermined operational mode impedance.

In various alternative embodiments of the above method and apparatus,setting impedance of the sense electrode to the predetermined testimpedance may involve setting the bias of a direct current amplifierfeedback circuit of a low-noise charge amplifier having an input coupledto the sense electrode to a predetermined test mode bias. Thepredetermined test mode impedance may be around 2 TOhms and thepredetermined operational mode impedance may be around 2 GOhms. Thesense electrode may be a fixed electrode (e.g., a fixed sensing fingeror a ground plane) and the device structure may be a movable electrodeor a fixed electrode. The device structure may be a guard structure thatis used during the test mode for detecting particle contaminants and isplaced at the same potential as the sense electrode during theoperational mode. Such a guard structure may include a set of elongatedfingers, and the sense electrode may be an elongated sense electrodehaving a proximal portion that interdigitates with the set of elongatedfingers and a distal portion that interdigitates with correspondingfingers of a movable mass.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided aMEMS device comprising a fixed sense electrode; a guard structureadjacent to the fixed sense electrode; and a controller coupled to thefixed sense electrode and the guard structure. The controller includes atest mode in which the controller places the guard structure at adifferent electrical potential than the fixed sense electrode andmonitors the fixed sense electrode for leakage current from the guardstructure and an operational mode in which the controller places theguard structure at the same electrical potential as the fixed senseelectrode.

In various alternative embodiments, the guard structure may include aset of finger structures and the fixed sense electrode may include aproximal portion that interdigitates with the set of finger structuresof the guard structure. The MEMS device may further include a movablemass having a set of finger structures, and the fixed sense electrodemay include a distal portion that interdigitates with the fingerstructures of the movable mass. The controller may set impedance of thesense electrode to a predetermined test mode impedance higher than apredetermined operational mode impedance during the test mode and mayset impedance of the sense electrode to the predetermined operationalmode impedance during the operational mode. The controller may include alow-noise charge amplifier having an input coupled to the senseelectrode and including a direct current amplifier feedback circuit, andthe controller may set impedance of the sense electrode to thepredetermined test impedance by setting the bias of the direct currentamplifier feedback circuit to a predetermined test mode bias. Thepredetermined test mode impedance may be around 2 TOhms and thepredetermined operational mode impedance may be around 2 GOhms.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided aMEMS device comprising a substrate supporting a set of devicestructures; a conductive shield layer partially covering a surface ofthe substrate and leaving an uncovered potential trap region; aconductive gate layer embedded within the substrate, the conductive gatelayer having a first extended portion underlying the potential trapregion; and a controller coupled to the conductive shield layer and theconductive gate layer and configured to place the same electricalpotential on both the conductive shield layer and the conductive gatelayer.

In various alternative embodiments, the MEMS device may additionallyinclude a device cap bonded to the substrate and covering the devicestructures. The conductive gate layer may include a second extendedportion that extends beyond an outer perimeter of the device cap towhich the controller connects.

Various aspects of the present invention can be applied generally tointegrated circuit devices and are not necessarily limited to MEMSdevices and/or to particle detection. For example, embodiments of thepresent invention may include integrated circuit devices comprisingvulnerable, exposed sensitive nodes that can be switched between a verysensitive condition for test purposes and a less sensitive condition foroperational purposes. The nodes may be part of or connected to a MEMSstructure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of the invention will be more readily understoodby reference to the following detailed description, taken with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram conceptually showing relevant componentsof a MEMS device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of a MEMS device inaccordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention,highlighting some of the problems that may occur with particlecontaminants;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a low-noise charge amplifier withvariable input impedance, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a logic flow diagram for a test mode in which sense electrodesare switched to high impedance, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing exemplary guard structures inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing exemplary guard structures havingelongated fingers interdigitated with elongated sense electrodes, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an alternative guard structure inaccordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary configuration foreliminating trap regions, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 shows an approximation for the size of particles susceptible tostiction in trap regions, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing guarding of the signal linesbetween the sensor and the amplifier with the guards being driven by theamplifier outputs so that the stray capacitance becomes part or all ofthe feedback capacitance, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing circuitry to isolate an electrodeduring a test mode, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

It should be noted that the foregoing figures and the elements depictedtherein are not necessarily drawn to consistent scale or to any scale.Unless the context otherwise suggests, like elements are indicated bylike numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Definitions. As used in this description and the accompanying claims,the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless thecontext otherwise requires.

A “set” includes one or more elements.

An “electrode” is a structure through which an electrical orelectromechanical effect is applied and/or sensed. In exemplaryembodiments, various electrodes are used for applying and/or sensingelectrical or electromechanical effects through capacitive coupling,although it should be noted that other types of electrodes and couplingsmay be used (e.g., piezoelectric).

Various embodiments of the present invention detect and/or mitigate thepresence of particle contaminants using one or more of the followingdetection/mitigation schemes:

(1) including MEMS structures that in normal operation are robustagainst the presence of particles but which can be made sensitive tothat presence during a test mode prior to use, e.g., by switching theimpedance of sensitive structures between an exceptionally sensitivecondition during test and a normal sensitivity during operation;

(2) surrounding sensitive nodes with guard elements that are at the samepotential as those nodes during operation, thereby offering protectionagainst bridging particles, but are at a very different potential duringtest and reveal the particles by their resulting leakage currents;

(3) extending the sensitive nodes to interdigitate with or otherwiseextend adjacent to the guard structures, which neither contribute to nordetract from the device operation but cover otherwise open areas withdetection means during test. This increases the probability of detectionof particles which might subsequently move from a benign location to aninterfering location; and/or

(4) converting benign areas in which particles might become trappedundetectably by electric fields during test to field-free regions byextending otherwise non-functional conductive layers so that theparticles can then be moved into detection locations by providing somemechanical disturbance in accordance with existing practices.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram conceptually showing relevant componentsof a MEMS device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. Among other things, the MEMS device includes variousMEMS structures 10, a controller 20 coupled to the MEMS structures 10,and a memory 30 coupled to the controller 20.

MEMS devices may include such things as gyroscopes (e.g., as discussedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,505,511, 6,877,374, 7,421,897, and 5,635,640, whichare assigned to Analog Devices, Inc. of Norwood, Mass. and are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties), accelerometers(e.g., as discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,939,633 and 6,892,576, which areassigned to Analog Devices, Inc. of Norwood, Mass. and are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties), microphones andpressure sensors (e.g., as discussed in U.S. patent applicationpublication number US2006/0237806, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety), optical switches (e.g., as discussed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,940,636 and 6,625,345, which are assigned to Analog Devices,Inc. of Norwood, Mass. and are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties), electrometers (e.g., as described in U.S. Pat. No.7,098,644, which is assigned to Analog Devices, Inc. of Norwood, Mass.and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), flowsensors (e.g., as described in U.S. patent application publicationnumber US2008/0264181, which is assigned to Analog Devices, Inc. ofNorwood, Mass. and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety), position sensors (e.g., as described in U.S. Pat. No.6,713,829, which is assigned to Analog Devices, Inc. of Norwood, Mass.and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety),switches, and RF devices, to name but a few.

Generally speaking, a MEMS device includes at least one movablestructure (referred to hereinafter for convenience as a “proof mass”),although some MEMS devices (e.g., convective accelerometers as describedin U.S. patent application publication number US2005/0205959, which isassigned to Analog Devices, Inc. of Norwood, Mass. and is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety) may have no overtlymoving parts. In any case, a MEMS device may be a MEMS-only device(i.e., with structure only), or an integrated MEMS having both structureand circuitry, such as an IMEMS™ inertial sensor distributed by AnalogDevices, Inc. of Norwood, Mass.

With reference again to FIG. 1, in MEMS devices such as MEMS gyroscopesand accelerometers, the MEMS structures 10 typically include varioustypes of drive and/or sense structures including mechanical moving parts(e.g., resonator shuttles, sensor frames, etc.) with low electricalimpedance and high signal voltages adjacent to sensitive parts (e.g.,fixed sensing structures, referred to hereinafter as sense electrodes)with high impedance. Movement of such moving parts is detected by lowlevel signals induced in the sense electrodes due to changes incapacitance between the moving parts and the sense electrodes. Thecontroller 20 provides electrical connections to the various MEMSstructures, e.g., for driving and/or sensing movement of a movable mass.The controller 20 receives various inputs (e.g., power signals from apower supply, temperature signals from the temperature sensor) andprovides various outputs (e.g., output signals representing movement ofthe MEMS device). Also, the controller 20 obtains various types ofoperating parameters from the memory 30, e.g., a transduction scalefactor used to convert sensed acceleration signals to device outputs.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the MEMS structures of a portionof a MEMS gyroscope in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. Here, two movable masses 16A and 16B (e.g., frames oftwo coupled sensor elements) are interconnected by a coupling apparatus99, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No.7,421,897, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. Each of the movable masses 16A and 16B includes sets offingers 18 that move along with the mass. For convenience, the fingers18 may be referred to hereinafter as “movable” fingers. The movablefingers are interdigitated with corresponding sets of fixed fingers 19.The fixed fingers 19 are anchored to an underlying substrate (which alsosupports the movable masses and other device structures and typicallyincludes a ground plane electrode) but are electrically isolated fromthe ground plane so that different electrical potentials can exists onthe fixed fingers 19 and the ground plane. A high voltage potential isplaced on the masses (and hence on the movable fingers 18), and movementof the masses is detected by changes in capacitance between the movablefingers 18 and the fixed fingers 19, specifically by detecting the lowlevel signals induced in the fixed fingers 19 using appropriatecircuitry (an example of which is discussed below).

Similar configurations of interdigitated electrodes can be used to drivemovement of a mass, e.g., by placing alternating electrical signals onthe fixed fingers that cause resulting movement of the mass. Also,electrodes for driving and/or sensing movement are not limited tointerdigitated configurations. Rather, MEMS devices often include one ormore electrodes that sit adjacent to a portion of a movable mass, e.g.,for testing, sensing, or adjusting movement of the mass.

Furthermore, MEMS devices may have multiple moving masses and/or massesthat move in multiple planes (e.g., resonating in an X-Y plane anddeflecting in a Z-axis outside of that plane due to Coriolis forces),with corresponding sets of drive and/or sense electrodes. For example,the portion of the MEMS gyroscope shown in FIG. 2 is part of a largerstructure in which the movable masses 16A and 16B are frames that inturn support resonator masses that have associated sets of drive andsense electrodes, as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,421,897,which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 2 depicts some of the problems that may occur with particlecontaminants in a MEMS device. For example, particles may cause leakagebetween adjacent device layer structures (e.g., between a movable fingerand a fixed drive or sense finger or between two fixed fingers) or maycause leakage between a device layer structure and the ground plane(e.g., between a fixed finger or movable mass and the underlying groundplane). Also, there typically are large, open areas where particles canmigrate or adhere without being detected. Furthermore, electrical fieldsat various locations may cause temporary stiction of particles, whichlater can become dislodged and cause problems.

As discussed above, sense electrodes are typically high impedancestructures and typically are connected to the inputs of low-noise chargeamplifier. If a particle bridging two structures causes leakage currentto the input of such an amplifier, e.g., from a surrounding ground planeor adjacent high potential part, then the output of the amplifiergenerally will imbalance except under extremely improbablecircumstances. The size of that imbalance generally increases with theinput impedance and can be detected when it exceeds a predeterminednormal offset range of the amplifier.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the input impedance ofthe low-noise charge amplifier is switched between an exceptionallysensitive condition during a test mode and a normal sensitivity duringan operational mode. FIG. 3 shows a low-noise charge amplifier withvariable input impedance, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention. The input impedance can be changed by changingthe bias of the direct current amplifier feedback circuit. There aremany ways of achieving this but one illustrated in FIG. 3 involveschanging the voltage state of the point labeled “switch.” In anexemplary embodiment, the impedance can be changed between an operatinglevel of around 2 GOhms to a thousand times more sensitive value ofaround 2 TOhms during the test mode. During testing, a high voltagesignal may be placed on the movable fingers 18, and the input impedancefor the sense electrodes 19 may be increased in order to increasesensitivity to leakage currents between the movable fingers 18 and thesense electrodes 19 caused by particles that bridge the gap between amovable finger 19 and a sense electrode 19.

FIG. 4 is a logic flow diagram for a test mode in which sense electrodesare switched to high impedance, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. When the device is placed in a testmode for a particular phase of testing (YES in block 802), the senseelectrodes are switched to high impedance in block 804, as discussedabove. A high voltage signal is placed on an adjacent structure such asa movable mass, in block 806, and the sense electrodes are tested orotherwise monitored for leakage current, in block 808. If leakagecurrent is detected (YES in block 810), the a warning signal may begenerated, in block 812. If no leakage current is detected (NO in block810), then at the end of the test phase (YES in block 814), the senseelectrodes are switched to an operating impedance.

Embodiments of the present invention additionally or alternatively mayinclude guard structures placed adjacent to sense electrodes (e.g., atleast partially protecting the sense electrodes on one or more sides).These guard structures are placed at the same potential as the senseelectrodes during operation, thereby offering protection againstparticles, but are placed at a very different potential (e.g., a highvoltage potential) during test to reveal the particles by theirresulting leakage currents, e.g., to the sense electrodes or groundplane. Furthermore, the sense electrodes may be longitudinally extendedso as to interdigitate with or otherwise extend adjacent to the guardelements.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing exemplary guard structures inaccordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here,each guard structure 401 is essentially an elongated bar that sitsadjacent to a set of fixed fingers 19.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing exemplary guard structures havingelongated fingers interdigitated with elongated sense electrodes, inaccordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.Here, each guard structure 402 includes sets of elongated fingers thatinterdigitate with corresponding portions of the sense electrodes, whichare longitudinally extended (and hence are referenced as senseelectrodes 19′). Thus, the extended sense electrodes 19′ interdigitateon one end with the movable fingers 18 for sensing movement of themovable fingers 18 and interdigitate on the other end with the guardstructure 402 fingers. This configuration has the advantage of coveringwith detection means areas which might otherwise harbor an undetectedparticle. However, it also increases stray capacitance on the amplifierinput nodes, which, in turn, can degrade performance by increasing itsnoise gain. This stray capacitance can be overcome, for example, byconnecting the guard to the output of the amplifier so that the straycapacitance becomes part or all of the feedback capacitance marked C inFIG. 3.

During testing, a high voltage may be placed on the movable fingers 18and the guard elements 402 (at the same time or at different times), andthe input impedance for the sense electrodes 19′ may be increased inorder to increase sensitivity to particles.

With guard elements placed adjacent to the sense electrodes, a particleby its side generally does no damage because it does not touch the senseelectrode. If a particle is undetected and during operation moves on topof the structures, then, because the guard elements are at the samepotential as the sense electrodes, no current flows and no harm is done,so the guard elements confer a level of immunity to such particles. Intest mode, however, the guard elements are typically switched to a highpotential so that a bridging particle causes current to flow to thesense electrode, which confers a level of detectability. Similarly, ahigh voltage signal may be placed on the movable fingers 18 (either atthe same time that the high voltage signal is placed on the guardstructures or at a different time) so that a bridging particle causescurrent to flow to the sense electrode. As discussed above, during thetest mode, input impedance for the sense electrodes may be increased inorder to increase sensitivity to particles.

With reference again to FIGS. 5 and 6, it should be noted that testingmay be performed at different times on different sets of structures. Forexample, with reference again to FIG. 4, testing may be done between themovable fingers 18 and the sense electrodes 19/19′, between the guardstructures 401/402 and the sense electrodes 19/19′, and between any ofthese structures and the underlying ground plane. In this regard, aparticular structure may be configured as the sense electrode for onetest and as the high voltage electrode for another test. Additionally oralternatively, corresponding pairs of structures may be testedsequentially (e.g., in one phase of testing, a high voltage signal maybe placed on the movable fingers 18 while the sense electrodes 19/19′are at a high impedance, and in another phase of testing, a high voltagesignal may be placed on the guard structures 401/402 while the senseelectrodes 19/19′ are at a high impedance) or multiple pairs ofstructures may be tested at one time (e.g., high voltage signals may beplaced on both the movable fingers 18 and the guard structures 401/402while the sense electrodes 19/19′ are at a high impedance).

While exemplary embodiments are described above with reference toswitching the sensitivity of sense electrodes, adding guard structuresaround sense electrodes, and/or extending sense electrodes, it should benoted that similar mechanisms may be used for drive and other “active”electrodes. For example, an electrode used for imparting a force on amovable mass (e.g., a drive, trim, or self-test electrode) may besurrounded by a guard structure that is used in conjunction with theelectrode for sensing particles during a test mode but that is placed ata benign potential during operation. FIG. 7 shows an exemplaryconfiguration including a movable mass 502, a trim electrode 504adjacent to the movable mass 502, and a guard structure 506 surroundingthe trim electrode 504, with either the guard structure 506 or the trimelectrode 504 configured as the sensitive node during testing and theguard structure 506 switched to a benign potential during operation.Thus, principles described above may be applied to both movableelectrodes and stationary electrodes in various types of MEMS devices.

MEMS devices often have regions in which particles can become trappedundetectably by electric fields. For example, particles may adhere toinsulating surface 602 between a shield polysilicon layer 604 and theglass seal 608 of a device cap 606 through electrostatic adhesion, asdepicted in FIG. 8. As a very rough estimate, particles having athickness of around 313 microns or less may be susceptible to stictionin an exemplary MEMS device based on the approximation shown in FIG. 9which refers to a potential of 17V between the substrate 616 and shield604 or cap 606.

Therefore, embodiments of the present invention additionally oralternatively may eliminate such trap regions by extending otherwisenon-functional conductive layers to produce substantially field-freeregions. For example, with reference again to FIG. 8, the existing gatepolysilicon layer 610 of a MEMS device layout may be extended bothunderneath the trap region 602 as represented by gate poly extension 612and outside of the perimeter of the cap to provide a gate poly extension614 that is connected to the potential of the shield poly 604. With thetrap region reduced or eliminated, any particles in the trap region canbe moved into detection locations during a test mode by providing amechanical disturbance in accordance with known practices. Furthermore,connections to sensitive nodes (e.g., sense electrodes) that need not beraised above the ground plane to fulfill their mechanical function areburied beneath the ground plane and insulated, e.g., by a layer ofoxide, nitride or glass, both above and below. Thus, these portions ofthe nodes are immune to particles.

As discuss above, stray capacitance on the amplifier input nodes (e.g.,on the signal lines from the sensor to the amplifier) can degradeperformance by increasing noise gain without correspondingly increasingsignal gain (similarly, any leakage at these nodes, for example, due toparticle contaminants, can degrade performance). These issues can beovercome by using this capacitance as the integrating feedback path forthe amplifier, for example, by guarding the signal lines between thesensor and the amplifier, with the guards 1002 being driven by theamplifier outputs so that the stray capacitance becomes part or all ofthe feedback capacitance, e.g., as shown schematically in FIG. 10. Suchguarding of the signal lines will add capacitance to the signal lines,but by driving the guards by the amplifier outputs, the capacitance ofthe guards (Cguard) can be used as the feedback capacitance and theguards can be used to partially or totally replace the feedbackcapacitors (e.g., C in FIG. 3). In this way, as the capacitanceincreases, both the noise and the signal gain increase equally. Theguards can be additional structures added to the device or can be assimple as the interlayer capacitance between existing layers (e.g.,between the gate or sensor polysilicon layer and the ground plane layeror metallization layer).

Thus, it should be noted that various aspects of the present inventioncan be applied generally to integrated circuit devices and are notnecessarily limited to MEMS devices and/or to particle detection. Forexample, embodiments of the present invention may include integratedcircuit devices comprising vulnerable, exposed sensitive nodes that canbe switched between a very sensitive condition for test purposes and aless sensitive condition for operational purposes. The nodes may be partof or connected to a MEMS structure.

In some situations, it may be necessary or desirable to isolate anelectrode or other structure during a test mode of operation, e.g., toplace a high voltage signal on the node without harming other circuitry.Thus, isolation circuitry (e.g., switches) may be included to isolatesuch nodes during test mode and reconnect the nodes for the operationalmode. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing isolation circuitry forselectively isolating and reconnecting an electrode. Specifically,electrode 1102 can be selectively connected via switches 1104 totest-mode circuitry 1108 during test mode and reconnected tooperational-mode circuitry 1106 during operational mode. In this way, ahigh voltage or other test signal can be placed on the electrode 1102during test mode (e.g., to detect leakage caused by a particularcontaminant as discussed above) without the test signal impacting theoperational mode circuitry 1106.

In embodiments of the present invention, the controller 20 includesappropriate circuitry for running and switching between a test mode andan operational mode and specifically for detecting and/or mitigatingparticle contaminants including, for example, (1) during test mode,switching the impedance of sense electrode to a test mode impedance,placing an electrical signal on an adjacent device structure, andmonitoring the sense electrode for a leakage current from the devicestructure, and switching the impedance of the sense electrode to anoperational impedance during operational mode; (2) switching thepotential and/or impedance of guard structures between a test settingand an operational setting, and/or setting the potential of a gate polyextension to that of the shield poly. This circuitry may includediscrete components, integrated circuitry (e.g., an Application SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC)), programmable logic for use with an includedprogrammable logic device (e.g., a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)or other PLD), computer program logic for use with an included processor(e.g., a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, orgeneral purpose computer), or any other means including any combinationthereof.

Hardware logic (including programmable logic for use with a programmablelogic device) implementing all or part of the functionality previouslydescribed herein may be designed using traditional manual methods, ormay be designed, captured, simulated, or documented electronically usingvarious tools, such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), a hardwaredescription language (e.g., VHDL or AHDL), or a PLD programming language(e.g., PALASM, ABEL, or CUPL).

Programmable logic may be fixed either permanently or transitorily in atangible storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory device (e.g., aRAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or Flash-Programmable RAM), a magnetic memorydevice (e.g., a diskette or fixed disk), an optical memory device (e.g.,a CD-ROM), or other memory device. The programmable logic may be fixedin a signal that is transmittable to a computer using any of variouscommunication technologies, including, but in no way limited to, analogtechnologies, digital technologies, optical technologies, wirelesstechnologies (e.g., Bluetooth), networking technologies, andinternetworking technologies. The programmable logic may be distributedas a removable storage medium with accompanying printed or electronicdocumentation (e.g., shrink wrapped software), preloaded with a computersystem (e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk), or distributed from a serveror electronic bulletin board over the communication system (e.g., theInternet or World Wide Web). Of course, some embodiments of theinvention may be implemented as a combination of both software (e.g., acomputer program product) and hardware. Still other embodiments of theinvention may be implemented as entirely hardware.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the true scope of the invention. Any references to the“invention” are intended to refer to exemplary embodiments of theinvention and should not be construed to refer to all embodiments of theinvention unless the context otherwise requires. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for detecting particle contaminants inan integrated circuit device having a device structure and a sense nodeadjacent to the device structure, and having a particle detectingcontroller coupled to the device structure and the sense node, themethod comprising: during an operational mode: configuring and operatingthe particle detecting controller to set impedance of the sense node toa predetermined operational mode impedance value, and during a testmode: configuring and operating the particle detecting controller to setimpedance of the sense node to a predetermined test mode impedance valuehigher than the predetermined operational mode impedance value, to placea test signal on the device structure, and to monitor the sense node forleakage current from the device structure, thereby detecting particlesin the integrated circuit device.
 2. A method according to claim 1,wherein setting impedance of the sense node to the predetermined testimpedance comprises: setting the bias of a direct current amplifierfeedback circuit of a low-noise charge amplifier having an input coupledto the sense node to a predetermined test mode bias.
 3. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the predetermined test mode impedance isaround 2 TOhms and wherein the predetermined operational mode impedanceis around 2 GOhms.
 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sensenode is a fixed electrode and wherein the device structure is one of amovable electrode and a fixed electrode.
 5. A method according to claim1, wherein the device structure is a guard structure that is used duringthe test mode for detecting particle contaminants and is placed at thesame potential as the sense node during the operational mode.
 6. Amethod according to claim 5, wherein the guard structure includes a setof elongated fingers and wherein the sense node is an elongated sensenode having a proximal portion that interdigitates with the set ofelongated fingers and a distal portion that interdigitates withcorresponding fingers of a movable mass.
 7. A method according to claim5, wherein the guard capacitance is configured as part of the amplifierfeedback capacitance to avoid noise degradation.
 8. A method accordingto claim 1, wherein the sense node is part of or connected to a MEMSstructure.
 9. An integrated circuit device comprising: a devicestructure; a sense node adjacent to the device structure; and a particledetecting controller coupled to the device structure and the sense node,the particle detecting controller having at least two modes ofoperation, the modes of operation comprising: an operational mode inwhich the controller configures and operates circuitry that setsimpedance of the sense node to a predetermined operational modeimpedance value; and a test mode in which the controller configures andoperates circuitry that sets impedance of the sense node to apredetermined test mode impedance value higher than the predeterminedoperational mode impedance value, configures and operates circuitry thatplaces a test signal on the device structure, and configures andoperates circuitry that monitors the sense node for leakage current fromthe device structure, thereby detecting particles in the integratedcircuit device.
 10. A device according to claim 9, wherein thecontroller comprises a low-noise charge amplifier having an inputcoupled to the sense node, the low-noise charge amplifier including adirect current amplifier feedback circuit, and wherein the controllersets impedance of the sense node to the predetermined test impedance bysetting the bias of the direct current amplifier feedback circuit to apredetermined test mode bias.
 11. A device according to claim 9, whereinthe predetermined test mode impedance is around 2 TOhms and wherein thepredetermined operational mode impedance is around 2 GOhms.
 12. A deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein the sense node is a fixed electrode andwherein the device structure is one of a movable electrode and a fixedelectrode.
 13. A device according to claim 9, wherein the devicestructure is a guard structure that is used during the test mode fordetecting particle contaminants and is placed at the same potential asthe sense node during the operational mode by the controller.
 14. Adevice according to claim 13, wherein the guard structure includes a setof elongated fingers and wherein the sense node is an elongated senseelectrode having a proximal portion that interdigitates with the set ofelongated fingers and a distal portion that interdigitates withcorresponding fingers of a movable mass.
 15. A device according to claim13, wherein the guard capacitance is configured as part of the amplifierfeedback capacitance to avoid noise degradation.
 16. A device accordingto claim 9, wherein the sense node is part of or connected to a MEMSstructure.
 17. A MEMS device comprising: a fixed sense electrode; aguard structure adjacent to the fixed sense electrode; and a controllercoupled to the fixed sense electrode and the guard structure, thecontroller having at least two modes of operation, the modes ofoperation comprising: an operational mode in which the controllerconfigures and operates circuitry that places the guard structure at thesame electrical potential as the fixed sense electrode; and a test modein which the controller configures and operates circuitry that placesthe guard structure at a different electrical potential than the fixedsense electrode and configures and operates circuitry that monitors thefixed sense electrode for leakage current from the guard structure,thereby detecting particles in the MEMS device.
 18. A MEMS deviceaccording to claim 17, wherein the guard structure includes a set offinger structures and wherein the fixed sense electrode includes aproximal portion that interdigitates with the set of finger structuresof the guard structure.
 19. A MEMS device according to claim 18, furthercomprising a movable mass having a set of finger structures, wherein thefixed sense electrode includes a distal portion that interdigitates withthe finger structures of the movable mass.
 20. A MEMS device accordingto claim 17, wherein the controller sets impedance of the senseelectrode to a predetermined test mode impedance higher than apredetermined operational mode impedance during the test mode and setsimpedance of the sense electrode to the predetermined operational modeimpedance during the operational mode.
 21. A MEMS device according toclaim 20, wherein the controller comprises a low-noise charge amplifierhaving an input coupled to the sense electrode, the low-noise chargeamplifier including a direct current amplifier feedback circuit, andwherein the controller sets impedance of the sense electrode to thepredetermined test impedance by setting the bias of the direct currentamplifier feedback circuit to a predetermined test mode bias.
 22. A MEMSdevice according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined test modeimpedance is around 2 TOhms and wherein the predetermined operationalmode impedance is around 2 GOhms.